Under My Umbrella
by Hollyleaf The Black Cat
Summary: Rain. Oh how he loathed the rain! He, Ichigo Kurosaki, hated rain with a fiery passion…but with the rain came memories. Memories of bad times and of good times and, most importantly, memories of a friend gone but not forgotten.


**Author's Note:** Sup, everyone! So I was going through my computer cleaning it out and stuff and I found this fanfic I started on all the way back in the Fullbring Arc so long ago. I decided 'hey, why not finish this' so I did and I think it came out pretty good. I haven't done a oneshot in forever. Anyway I got the name for this fic from the song Umbrella by Rhianna (although the All Time Low version is better). Also if you happen to be on Youtube look up the IchiRuki-Umbrella video by StrawRabbi. It's what gave me some inspiration for this fic too. Anyway I hope you all enjoy this fanfic and sorry for any OOC-ness or anything.

* * *

Rain. Oh how he loathed the rain. He, Ichigo Kurosaki, hated rain with a fiery passion and for some reason he hated it today even more.

Ichigo had just finished his fight with Ginjo and mastered his fullbring. After being healed by Orihime, he called it quits for the day and decided to head home. Chad and Orihime had volunteered to walk back with him but he declined. He wanted to be alone for a bit, have some peaceful time to himself: time that he knew he would never get at home.

As he walked around with the rain pelting him like mini bullets, he began thinking about what the rain meant to him. Thinking about how it rained when Grand Fisher killed his mother. Thinking about how it rained when he and the rest of his family visited her grave. Thinking of how it rained when he fought Grand Fisher and also thinking of how it was raining when he asked Rukia if he could remain a Shinigami a little longer, just so he could defeat his mother's murderer.

"Rukia…," he whispered, mostly to himself.

Suddenly he stopped in the middle of the street. Why had he whispered her name? Why was it now of all times that she flooded back into his mind? Was it because of the rain? Ichigo shook his head, trying to rid it of her image. It had taken him a while but after losing his shinigami powers he slowly began to forget about petite shinigami and all of the other things associated with the Soul Society.

So why was he remembering it now? Remembering when he first met her. Remembering when she made him a shinigami. Remembering when she trained him. Remembering all the times they had spent together hunting hollows. Remembering her being taken away, only to have him come and save her. Remembering when he saw her again, when she came to help fight the Arrancar in Karakura Town and in Hueco Mundo. Remembering her stupid drawings, that, even though he insulted them, he'd love to see them again. Remebering her petite body, with her violet eyes and ebony hair. Finally, remembering as she faded from his sight, a little over a year ago.

He sighed. _I've got to get out of the rain. I think it's messing with my head._

Ichigo looked around seeing if there were any stores where he could take shelter for a little bit. The only one he saw was a candy shop. He slowly trudged his way over to it and walked in. "Hello, young'un. Getting out of the rain?" said a white-haired old man behind the counter.

Ichigo pulled off his wet coat and took a seat at a table by the window. "Yeah. Do you mind?" he asked.

The old man shook his head. "Not at all. If you want something, I'll be in the back so just holler."

Ichigo stared out the window and watched as the rain shower turned into a storm. Lightning flashed and thunder cackled, both in sync with each other like a dancer to a drum. Ichigo just kept staring at it until he heard a voice.

"Hey boy," called the old man from the back, "can you help me a minute?"

Ichigo stood up and went around the counter to the back where he saw the old man with a large box. The man patted the box and said "This has 20 pounds of candy dispensers and I need it carried out to the front. Since my part-timer isn't here I can't move it so I was wondering if you could."

Ichigo just shook his head and lifted the box. "Ugh!" he groaned in pain, as he could still feel the effects of the injuries he got during his training. Still, he carried the box into the front.

He plopped the box onto the counter and waited as the old man came and cut it open. When Ichigo saw the contents of the box he shouted, "Soul Candy!?",

"Oh so these candies soothe your soul too! Yeah these are my favorites also. When I eat them, it takes me back to those younger years I miss," chuckled the old man, "Yep. Anyway could you sort them out by their heads so I can go sort the lollipops? Good. Thanks."

And with that he walked back into the small room leaving Ichigo there in the front alone. He began to carefully take each one out and put them into their respective piles. Then he pulled out one with a rabbit for its head. _Chappy…Rukia's favorite soul candy…_

He must've been staring at it for a while because when the man came back he said, "If you really like that one so much you can have it."

"Huh?" asked Ichigo, shaking his head and returning from his thoughts.

The man took the candy dispenser from his hands. "You stared at it for so long with so much intensity that I thought you might want it."

"Well, I just-," Ichigo broke off.

The man placed it back into Ichigo's hands. "It's fine. I could tell by your look you were thinking of someone."

Ichigo just sighed as he twirled the candy around in his hand. "Yeah."

"Well I'm not going to push you for more info but I hope whoever it was you're thinking about brings you only happy thoughts," said the man, smiling politely.

Again, Rukia flowed into his thoughts and every good memory he had with her brought a smile to his face. "Yeah. She does bring me happy thoughts…and she always will."

"Well that's good. Hey, could you help me carry these lollipops into the front?" asked the old shopkeeper.

Ichigo shook his head. It wasn't like he had anything better to do while it was raining. Why not just stay around and help the old man out.

He headed to the back and picked the box up and headed to the front. That's when a certain girl walked through the front door.

He dropped the box as he gazed at the girl in front of him. She was pale with violet eyes and black hair that went a little past her shoulders. "…Rukia?" he muttered as he stared at her.

"Rukia?" she asked, confused. "I'm sorry you must have me confused with someone else. I'm Hinatea Tachibana. May I ask who you are?"

Ichigo still just stared at her. _She's looks so much like Rukia. ARGH! Why is there so much reminding me of her today?_

"Umm…" began Hinatea as she walked behind the counter, "you might want to pick that up. Ueda-san doesn't like when the merchandise is on the floor.

Ichigo looked down at the box of spilled lollipops and quickly picked them up. He followed her to the back storage room. She was talking to the old man. "So get a new helper, Ueda-san?" she asked as she grabbed her apron.

Ueda shook his head. "Oh no, Tachibana-san. He just came in to get out of the rain and I asked him for some help."

Hinatea turned around and began to walk out of the door. "Well he's a bit weird. He kept calling me some name…um…what was it?"

"Rukia," said Ichigo as he stood in the doorway.

"Yeah, that," she said as she started putting her apron on.

"So who's this Rukia girl anyway?" asked Hinatea as she walked past him.

Ichigo sat the lollipops down on the counter and then took a seat at the bar. "She's…an old friend."

"Something happened to her?" asked Hinatea as she began refilling the lollipop jars.

"…She went away about a year ago," he said.

"You two didn't like exchanged contact info to keep in touch?"

Ichigo thought back to her fading away. "It was pretty sudden. I didn't realize what was happening."

"I'm sorry," said Hinatea. She smiled, softly. "You know I bet you two will meet up again real soon though."

"Why do you say that?" he asked.

"Because...the sun always comes to dry the rain," she said, "Even though she left she'll come back."

Ichigo turned around and stared out into the rain. _Rukia…_

And little did Ichigo know a certain petite, violet-eyed, black-haired shinigami was standing on the street, in the rain, staring into the candy store at the orange haired high schooler she had come to care for so much.

She had been assigned to observe him and his actions with Xcution but sometimes she found herself just watching him when he was just out and about. She had refused to believe that he had chosen to become a part of them and she knew time was fast approaching when he would learn the truth about Xcution and have to make his decision, time was fast approaching for them to meet again. _Ichigo…_

In the candy store Ichigo noticed that the rain was starting to let up. _Maybe I should start heading home. Dad might start worrying._

He rose from his seat but Hinatea stopped him from going anywhere. "Hey, what're you doing?"

He pointed to the door. "Heading home. The rain's letting up some."

"…Wait here a minute," she said quickly. When she returned she was carrying an umbrella and Ueda was behind her. "Here take this," she said holding it out to him.

Ichigo shook his head. "No really I'll be fine."

"Take it as a thank-you for helping me with those boxes," said Ueda, "Go on."

Ichigo took the umbrella and smiled at the two of them. "Thank you." They smiled back and waved as he headed out the door.

When he got outside he crossed the road and began heading toward his house. Along the way though he felt like something was beside him, something familiar. If he still had his powers he'd assume it was a little ghost girl or something but maybe it was just memories from those times that was making him have the feeling. For a fleeting second he almost imagine it was Rukia under the umbrella with him. He smiled as he looked at the sky. "The sun always comes to dry the rain," he whispered, wondering if whatever it was beside him, if it was anything, could hear him.

And walking under his umbrella with him was Rukia Kuchiki. She stayed in perfect step with him as they walked toward his house. She closed her eyes and smiled. She would always be there to dry up Ichigo's rainy days. But whenever it was raining she would always be there under his umbrella.

* * *

Reviews and constructive criticism are always appreciated! ;D


End file.
